Watching Subaru-kun
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: Seishirou watched Subaru-kun. And saw a little more than a doll that belonged to him and him alone. Spoilers for Vol 7.


**_Watching Subaru-kun_**

He watched Subaru-kun. Truthfully, there was nothing in particular to watch, but he did so anyway. No-one noticed the hawk-shaped shikigami peering through the roof. The flimsy kekkai – subpar to Subaru-kun's own one – did nothing to keep him out. In fact, the young Sumeragi Head's did not either, but that was more based on its design than its strength. The boy was simply too trusting for his own good. His current situation was merely a consequence of that.

At first, it was simply because he was curious to the response. Or so he told himself. His grandmother had interfered, shattering his marobashi – but, if he chose to be completely honest with himself, he had wasted enough time in the affair to make that interruption of little consequence. One could surmise he did not _want_ to kill Subaru-kun…but that effectively labelled him as the loser of their little Bet and Seishirou, amongst several other things, did not wish to lose.

It might do for him to re-evaluate his flash-autobiography, he considered almost flippantly as the smoke from his cigarette curled towards the lip of his hotel room. He had, naturally, vacated his Veterinary clinic in Kabuki-cho; he had no intention after all to wipe out the entire Sumeragi clan and Hokuto-chan could quite well lead them to his ex-doorstep…even if Subaru-kun was no longer in any condition to do so.

Although, now that he thought about it, such an action would be rather out of character for the young onmyouji. He was surprised though that Hokuto-chan hadn't appeared at the clinic. He knew because, while he watched Subaru-kun with a hawk's eye, he watched Hokuto-chan too. Hokuto-chan alternating between her apartment and Subaru-kun's own, reading through every book of onmyoujitsu the latter owned along with the few she surprisingly possessed –

No. He took a closer look at one of them and realised the ones in Hokuto-chan's apartment also belonged to Subaru-kun. Just like there were quite a few things of Hokuto-chan in Subaru-kun's apartment. Less than usual; he'd frequented Subaru-kun's apartment quite often during the past year and had seen many more things that didn't quite fit into the image of the quiet and kind young boy, things that contrasted almost epically with the personality he exhibited. Much like his clothing…which Seishirou took care to notice had also toned. Perhaps Hokuto-chan's heart was no longer in designing extravagant displays; her own clothes were rumpled and worn and not particularly noteworthy, things she normally wouldn't have been caught dead wearing without a truckload of accessories to accompany.

If it were anyone else, they would have scoffed at the unintended pun. As it was, Seishirou was faintly amused he'd managed to cripple both twins in a single blow. He didn't care much, and it wasn't like Hokuto-chan could ever hope to be a threat. He was however a tad concerned as to why he had not killed his prey.

He continued looking upon the doll-like face, perfectly carved and illuminated beautifully in Tokyo's light. The Tokyo Subaru-kun had claimed to love. That he too enjoyed in his own apathetic way: a place where people happily worked towards their destruction. A place that kept him entertained.

And it was still entertaining, watching beautifully blank green eyes stare at nothing and everything. Watching the form fail to even twitch at anything that happened around, no matter who it was who spoke or prodded him. Even when the previous Sumeragi head, dear Obaa-sama whom he'd never had the honour of meeting personally (although if he truly wanted to, there were several ways to go about making an…acquaintance), had gone Within Subaru-kun…and produced no results. And to think, going Within people was a specialty of the Sumeragi clan.

It did suggest though that Subaru-kun could match him if he chose to pit powers against each other, and that was interesting in itself. The boy's full strength he had yet to see; perhaps that was another reason he still lived, apart from keeping his precious doll around to look upon.

Or perhaps he simply refused to admit the real reason to himself. Of course, he wouldn't admit doing so either.

But despite the object of his scene never moving, never even blinking as the world slowly morphed around him, there were very few times he bothered, once the sentry had been sent, to look elsewhere.

He wouldn't have then either, except Hokuto-chan had done something…strange. Taking Subaru-kun's shikifuku and prayer beads and living the incapacitated boy all alone…

Not that it really mattered. Hokuto-chan couldn't stop him from killing Subaru-kun if he wanted. No-one in the Sumeragi-clan could. Except perhaps Subaru-kun – but he had refused and it was all the same in the end.

Still, he sent the hawk after Hokuto-chan, watching her discard the clothing unbefit to her and adorn the equally unbefit shikifuku. He watched her take a piece of paper and slip it into the sleeve. He watched her slip her pouch stuffed with yen into the other. Loose cash; there would be no way to catch her with the credit card. Everything else was left behind as she left the apartment without her keys, letting the lock slip into place behind her.

For a moment, she stayed in front of her brother's door. Then, with a '_Sayanora Subaru_,' she was in the elevator and heading down.

That was more than enough to tell Seishirou she was planning something, and so he followed her a little longer. When she stopped by an empty lot though, he gave up on the charade and returned to the lonely Subaru-kun, staring at nothing.

Poor Subaru-kun hadn't even noticed his sister had left him.

Seishirou was pleased with that; it meant Subaru-kun was his. His alone. His toy. His doll. Inanimate.

He summoned the hawk back to his wrist, not even noticing the sliver of regret.


End file.
